Integrating teaching and academic outreach projects is a fundamental and innovative strategy to continuous pedagogical development, benefiting academia and society. In this context, the article aims to examine the didactic experience of a university course, and the process adopted to integrate teaching, academic outreach, and sustainability. This integration was guided by active learning methodologies and the application of the Integrated Design Process (IDP) framework. As a case study, the article presents the experience of the course Integrated Environmental Project (PAI), offered at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of Brasília. The course engaged students in responding to a real-world challenge: the development of a Memory and Cultural Center in Chapada dos Veadeiros, located in Alto Paraíso, in the state of Goiás, Brazil. The pedagogical approach incorporated the IDP concept to implement active teaching methodologies. The method of this integration was structured in three interconnected stages. The first stage focused on implementing the IDP, promoting a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach. This practice has involved collective knowledge construction through lectures, guest talks, training sessions, field visits, and discussion circles, expanding students’ design repertoire. The second stage consisted of aligning the course content to the university outreach project, which aimed to develop the design project. Finally, following the IDP approach, the third stage adopted a gamification technique, developing and evaluating the students’ projects in an architectural competition format, with design loops to promote feedback. These methods collectively fostered a deeper understanding of sustainability principles and their application in architecture and at the urban scale, promoting interdisciplinarity and critical thinking. The course had significant and positive impacts: students developed enhanced problem-solving skills and a greater appreciation for sustainable architectural practices. Beyond the educational scope, the project positively influenced the local community by developing nine project proposals, thereby strengthening the community’s identity and heritage. The experience demonstrates that integrating teaching, outreach projects, and sustainability can yield meaningful educational outcomes and community benefits. Looking ahead, this model may serve as a valuable framework for other academic fields and initiatives, advancing in sustainability and multidisciplinarity, and enriching the university's contribution to societal development.